All Blacks squad rookie Leroy Carter has revealed his nervous moments after getting the call-up to join the tour to Argentina – with his pet dog destroying his passport.
The Olympic Games sevens rep was called up this week as injury cover in the squad for Caleb Clarke.
His chances of a Test debut against the Pumas are slim, but were almost zero after leaving his dog at home and his passport on the bedside table.
Before linking up with the squad in Auckland, Carter was instructed to take a photo of his passport and send it through to team management.
Leroy Carter of the Chiefs makes a break during the round 16 Super Rugby Pacific match between Highlanders and Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium, on May 30, 2025, in Dunedin, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)
“I got my passport out to take a photo to send to the manager and I just left it on my bedside table,” Carter told NZ TV program ThreeNews.
“My partner went to the gym and left my dog home alone and it’s gone down the hallway, jumped on the bed and just chewed up the passport and my teeth aligners.
“It was a bit of a shambles yesterday. I was trying to get an emergency one but I think it’s all sussed now.
“I thought it would happen to me, something like that, so no point getting stressed about it, just trying to sort it out.”
The 26-year-old, who played at the Paris Olympics for the Kiwis, will get an emergency passport in time to join the rest of the squad flying to Argentina on Friday for the first two Rugby Championship matches.
Carter had been a key member of the sevens team but shifted to 15s this season with the Chiefs and was a surprise inclusion in Scott Robertson’s squad.
He was out for breakfast with his partner and some of his Bay of Plenty NPC teammates when he received a call from Robertson on Monday morning.
“It was obviously a pretty special moment. I was actually out having breakfast with my partner and some of the Steamers boys and I got an unknown number call,” he said.
“I guess I thought if there was a day to answer those it was probably today and he just said congratulations and I honestly can’t really remember what else he said after that. I was pretty emotional and pretty stoked to get a phone call like that.
“All the boys were pretty pumped but I was still in a bit of a shock.”
